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Monday, 30 March 2015

Red Sky Dawning by Ian J. MaloneFive years after the historic Battle of Dulaston, Danny Tucker, Lee Summerston, and the Renegades have settled nicely into life on Aura — yet none more so than Tucker. Fueled by a rising career as an ASC staff sergeant and a love unlike any he’s ever known, Danny is in the prime of his life and at last free of the demons that have stalked him for years.Some demons never die, though, and when an old enemy beckons to settle a personal score, Danny soon finds himself swept up in the backlash of a climaxing civil war, and straight into the crosshairs of a father’s bloodlust for revenge.RED SKY DAWNING is the much-anticipated sequel to 2013’s MAKO, and the tale of one man’s quest to bury his past and protect those dearest to him as the fate of billions hangs in the balance. “Thematically speaking, this is very much a story about growing up,” says author Ian J. Malone, a native Floridian who now resides in Durham, North Carolina with his wife and step son. “Whereas book one was this plucky little tale about five bar-flies, rocking through hyperspace on the road trip of a lifetime, book two chronicles a lot of the unforeseen fallout stemming from decisions they made along the way. From an author’s standpoint, it was an intense story to write, but I think readers will really like where it leaves the saga entering the third and final book.”Among the things readers can expect from RED SKY DAWNING are an array of new characters, a deeper look into the Alystierian Empire, and a healthy dose of political intrigue. Still, Malone insists that MAKO fans will still find all of the action, humor, and pop-cultural charm that have since become the series’ calling card. “C’mon, guys. What’s a MAKO book without beer jokes and Funyuns?”RED SKY DAWNING arrives on Amazon April 30, 2015. The audiobook will follow shortly thereafter on Audible and iTunes.

Author Bio - Ian J. Malone

As a graduate of Florida State University, I’ve written in a number of arenas over the years ranging from public health to news and sports. When it comes to my fictional work, however, I’m a firm believer that nothing shapes an author’s writing like experience. That’s why I credit my tenures in radio, law enforcement, sport management, and the military for much of my thematic inspiration, plus the legion of family and friends who’ve stood with me along the way.Beyond writing, I’m an avid fan of audiobooks and sports, though it’s also not uncommon to find me at a concert (LOVE music!), a movie, or somewhere out by a grill.At present, I reside in Durham, North Carolina with my incredible wife, son, and our two dogs — but I’ll always be a “Florida boy” at heart. ;)

Run (Caged Trilogy #1) by H.G. LynchParanormal RomanceTilly is a witch…at least, she thinks she is. All she really knows is that she has powers she shouldn’t, and that the cruel women she escaped from – who definitely are witches – will stop at nothing to make her their prisoner again because of those powers.But Tilly has fallen in with a strange group – a pack of werewolves. The pack wants to protect her; none of them more so than Dominic, the alpha’s kind-hearted son. Tilly thinks she might be falling for him, but she can’t help being fascinated by his brooding, mysterious half-brother Spencer.Caught between the two, Tilly isn’t sure anymore what she’s most scared of: the witches hunting her down, or her own heart betraying her.

ExcerptHis fingers on my wrist felt too warm and too intimate, his touch making things deep inside me tingle. There was so little between us, literally, only my nightshirt and underwear separated my body and his. I could feel the growling inside him, vibrating through my blood. I’d never felt desire like that, never known it could be so addictive, like a drug I wanted more of.

Author Bio - H.G. Lynch

H.G. Lynch is a Scottish Paranormal Romance author, avid reader, and cat-lover. She spends most of her days writing, while wrestling her cat, Sooki, off her laptop. She believes that chocolate cake can save the world, and is highly caffeine-addicted. She can occasionally be found rolling on the floor, laughing manically, when she’s consumed too much caffeine. She loves horse-riding, Star Trek, and snow.Her books are dark fantasy romances, usually with a bad boy and a bad girl. Sometimes with zombies, sometimes vampires, sometimes other things.

Everyone loves a bad boy, right? Well, I certainly do and the hero of my new book, The Ragnarök Chronicles, is no exception. The idea of the anti-hero (or Byronic hero) has been around for many years now and endures thanks to both our love for the bad boy and the fact such characters come across as all the more realistic to the reader.The perfect hero has always been missing something for me because they are unbelievable. No one is perfect in every way, after all. Far more enticing are the flawed heroes whose faults are on display for all to see. They are like us and we want to see them succeed and find redemption, whether that’s through a deed or finding love.There are many wonderful anti-heroes in popular culture. Think Dorian Gray, Mr Rochester, or Damon Salvatore, who is so much more interesting than his (mostly) ‘good’ brother. These characters appeal to us because they seem so real, so human... and the fact they are usually drop-dead-gorgeous doesn’t hurt....My anti-hero in The Ragnarök Chronicles is a man of many faces—joker, lover, warrior—and my heroine, Cassandra, often doesn’t know quite where she stands with him. And yet she is drawn to him all the same, as I hope the reader will be too. He is a man on a mission, but only Cassandra can see he needs to fight his inner demons as much as he needs to fix the broken prophecy. So come and meet him. I am totally in love with him myself. What about you? If you read the book, do stop by my blog and let me know what you think. Cassandra describes him as ‘flawed perfection’. Do you agree?Excerpt

Cassandra’s mind began to buzz. The warning vibrated through her body and she hoisted her bag onto her shoulder. The air in the room was heavy; its thick syrup clogged her lungs when she tried to breathe. She wanted to move, but her limbs dragged, unwilling to obey her instructions. She was at war with herself. One moment her mind told her to go, the next it urged her to stay. Her thoughts kept straying and it was a fight to maintain her concentration.Something is not right here. Cassandra closed her eyes and shook her head. The action seemed to clear a little of the fuzziness. She was reminded of how she had felt in the coffee shop: as if awakening from slumber, not yet fully connected with the world. With the return of a portion of her mental clarity, her legs finally got the message. She made a move towards the door, wishing for once she did not always choose to sit so far back. Tom followed right after her. She increased her pace, bouncing down each step, feet barely touching the floor, but still he stayed with her, a solid, oppressing presence at her back.“You aren’t in this class,” she said as she scampered down the last two rows and made it to the front of the lecture hall. “I’ve never seen you here before.”Get out, get out, get out. She was not even sure from what it was she was in danger, but the warning her mind was sending her was loud and clear and she was not about to ignore it.“I just moved here. I have been... abroad.”“You seriously expect me to believe you’d transfer in to a course three weeks before the end of the semester?”The exit was just ahead. Through the glass pane in the door she could see the corridor beyond, teeming with life as students moved between lectures. Safety was only a few strides away. She closed the distance and reached for the handle.“What can I say?” Tom placed his hand against the door, preventing her from opening it, and then looked down and captured her gaze. “I am what they call the adventurous type.”

Author Bio - Nicki J. Markus

Nicki J Markus was born in England in 1982, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist.

Nicki launched her writing career in 2011. She published works through Wicked Nights Publishing and Silver Publishing before both companies closed their doors. She is now self-publishing some of her works.

Nicki also writes M/M fiction under the alternate pen name of Asta Idonea and has had several short stories published by Wayward Ink Publishing.

Nicki works as a freelance editor and proofreader and in her spare time enjoys: music, theatre, cinema, photography, sketching, history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel.

But in the middle of the Aurora, high above the bleak landscape, Lyra could see something solid. She pressed her face to the crack to see more clearly, and she could see Scholars near the screen leaning forward, too.

I'm just now (as in right at the moment of creating this post!) re-reading this series for the first time in many years. As you may or may not know, this is my favourite book series ever, so why wouldn't I re-read it as often as possible? Well that simple, I am so attached to all the characters already I'm not sure my poor heart can take another re-read, not just because of the sad things but because of the happy and bittersweet things too - everything makes me cry, it's ridiculous! Anyway, long story short I am both excited and a bit nervous to read this again. Let's see if I can make it through the first chapter without any tears! (Seriously, I wasn't joking when I say I cry at everything!)

I re-read this series not too ling ago, at the start of February and I already want to step within its pages once again! I have so many memories associated with this series and I just love the world so much. And just to give you another glimpse into the emotional, crying wreck that is me while watching movies and reading books, at the end of the first HP book where Neville receives those 10 points that just push Gryffindor into the lead, I was so happy and proud of Neville that I started crying and had to put the book down to wipe my eyes before I continued reading - I wasn't over-exaggerating about the crying thing! :P

I haven't read all of the books in this series as my library only had the first 9 or so and I didn't know where else to get them from. Now though, I almost have the entire series thanks to my lovely Jared's collection of childhood books, he's got almost all the Trixie Belden's, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew's, and he's given me all his doubles - so we've almost got two sets between us! I've wanted to re-read/continue reading this series for a long time and I hope I cna get around to it soon!

I loved this series when I was younger. I'd constantly be walking into class late with my nose between the pages of a Famous Five book! I won the boxed set during the 70th anniversary celebrations and have been wanting to re-read it since! :)

I loved this series when I was younger and since the release of Clariel last year, I have been keen to read it again! I recently bought a matching set of the new covers for the first 3 books - I only need to buy Clariel now!

I'm pretty sure this is the first book I read by Eva Ibbotson, and from then on I have loved her. A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson is my go-to book when I hit a slump and it's all thanks to this amazong book here that I found it.

I started this series when I was about 10 and I immediately fell in love with it! I'd like to read it again someday (I'm still waiting to get over the last book..), as there's a lot of it that I've forgotten.

You're probably starting to notice a trend in my childhood books now - a lot of fantasy and a lot of mystery/spy stuff! I found this series at my school library and it became an instant hit with me. I loved the characters and the adventures and I'd love to go back and revisit this part of my childhood!

I read this series years ago and I'm ashamed to say I can't remember most of it! I've got flashes of the story here and there but I'd really like to read this again and remember what it was all about! (Also, I read the series in chronological order - did any one else read it differently/both ways, and what did you prefer?)

Monday, 23 March 2015

Aurelia Barone, Jewel of Starry Stone, harbors no illusions about the purpose of her life as heir to the throne. But after two failed betrothals, she starts to feel like nothing more than a pawn being moved aimlessly about a game board.

Until the night she loses everything.

Kidnapped by a wise-cracking mercenary with more than one identity, Aurelia embarks on a mission across land and sea to avenge her father’s death.

But an evil is rising from the ashes of memory. Insidious magic is stirring. The dregs of a once-powerful nation are thirsty for blood and revenge.

Today I get to share with you what a
typical day in the life of Jessica Minyard (that’s me!) looks like. Since I’m
one of those authors-with-a-day-job, my typical day looks pretty much the same,
unfortunately. To make things interesting, I’m going to share two scenarios:
Jessica’s Real Life and Jessica’s Ideal Life.

Here we go!

Jessica’s Real Life:7:00 – Hear alarm,
repeatedly hit snooze button, wake up frantic 40 minutes later7:40 – Run through
shower, try not to wash face with shampoo and hair with face soap, try not to
use hairspray as perfume.8:30 – Leave house,
convince yourself you have enough gas to make it, drive to work9ish – At work. Begin
working11 – Take snack break;
find Cheez-its11-2:30 – Work work
work. Daydream about all the writing you could be doing2:20-3:30 – Run away for
lunch. Find favorite seat in favorite restaurant and pull out the Kindle.
Commence reading3:30-6 – Work work work.
Maybe make some plotting notes6-6:20 or 6:40 – Commute
home, pray not to get stuck in traffic, get stuck in traffic, become ragey7-bedtime – Dinner,
squeeze in some TV, make room for social obligations, write, market, promote,
try not to nap, get all fired up from writing, want to read, stay up too late
reading,make sure alarm is set, bemoan
the amount of hours you have left for sleep, late for work next dayWash, Rinse, Repeat.Jessica’s Ideal Life:10-11 – Wake up at your
leisure11-1 – Leisurely brunch
with some day-time TV. Shower and put on writing pants, which can include the
following: pajama pants, sweatpants, yoga pants, leggings, or no pants. May not
include real pants.1-5 – Hours of interrupted
time devoted to the writing business. Planning, outlining, research, promotion,
marketing, trolling the internet, etc.5-7 – Break time! This
time can be used for reading, or napping, or dinner7-9 – Adjustable TV
time, depending on what day of the week it is and if there are any good shows
running9 – Back to the writing
grind! Give email and social media a quick check to see if anything interesting
happened9:20-bedtime – Write
like the wind because you are just full of creative energy that hasn’t been
sapped by your evening commute! Go to bed satisfied at an obscene hour of the
morning because you wrote 5,000 – 10,000 words today because you are just that
awesome!As
you can see, I’m pretty far away from obtaining my ideal life, but a girl can
dream.

Author Bio - Jessica Minyard

Jessica wrote and illustrated her first story in the fourth grade. “The Dragon of Grindley Grun” was about an evil wizard, a princess, and a dragon who was actually a prince. She likes to think her writing has evolved since that very first story, even though she still writes about magic and evil wizards...sometimes.

She likes to sing loudly and dance on occasion without being particularly talented at either. Her interests include reading, writing, procrastinating, animal advocacy, musicals, accessories, memes, Harry Potter, and sweet tea.

Expected Publication: 23rd April 2015 by HarperVoyagerSixteen-year-old Marci Guerrero is one of the best teen hackers in Seattle. However, she’d give up all her talents to know she isn’t crazy.Marci feels possessed by what she perceives as shadowy spectres that take control of her body and make her do crazy things. While spying on the clandestine group known as IgNiTe, she’s confronted by the leader, James McCray. His presence stirs the spectres inside her brain into a maddening frenzy. Her symptoms and ability to control them don’t go unnoticed by James, who soon recruits her and shows her the awful truth.Half of the world’s population is infected by sentient parasites. They bind themselves to the human brain and replace the pathways for all thoughts and actions. The creatures then morph their hosts into grotesque monsters with extraordinary strengths. Winged, clawed, fanged half-humans become living nightmares. Now Marci wishes she was crazy, because the truth is worse.She’s infected.

Ingrid Seymour is the author of IGNITE THE SHADOWS (Harper Voyager, April 23rd, 2015). When she’s not writing books, she spends her time working as a software engineer, cooking exotic recipes, hanging out with her family and working out. She writes young adult and new adult fiction in a variety of genres, including Sci-Fi, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal and horror.Her favorite outings involve a trip to the library or bookstore where she immediately gravitates toward the YA section. She’s an avid reader and fangirl of many amazing books. She is a dreamer and a fighter who believes perseverance and hard work can make dreams come true.She lives in Birmingham, AL with her husband, two kids and a cat named Mimi.

Friday, 20 March 2015

Khaya’s life, a life the Order say was never meant to be, is thrown into turmoil when she discovers she has a second ability. The Company who employs people like her – with rare and special abilities – insists that having more than one inevitably leads down a dark spiral into madness. So they are watching and waiting, ready to terminate her at the first sign of trouble.

Now, on the run from the Company’s agents while trying to prove her sanity, Khaya realises they are not the only ones she should fear. Angels are working towards her demise as well.

The question that haunts her is this: What did she do that was terrible enough to elicit the wrath of angels? And can she trust the mysterious Derrin, or is he the cause of all her tribulations?

Khaya is unknowingly living a life that was never meant to be. She works for the Company who employs people who have a special ability. She discovers, though, that not only does she get foretellings, she can also look into objects, animals and people and manipulate their internal structures.

This, however, is not a good thing. A second ability is rare. From the few records that remain, it seems to lead to a mental breakdown, followed quickly by insanity. Now, the Company is monitoring her every move. Threatened with elimination at the first sign of madness, Khaya realises she has to get away from them.

The Company is not the only threatening her, though. Angels, eager to correct the mistake that led to her life, are after her too. And when a mysterious man turns up, he seems to be the only one she can trust. But is he genuinely seeking to help her, or is he the cause of all her trouble?

Where did you get the idea for Riddle of Fate?

Tough one. I have a bunch of random ideas, which I have now collected in a flow diagram from which I choose bits to weave into a new story. Whenever I get an idea that I think would be cool to put into a story, I add it to this diagram. I often get ideas just as I am about to fall asleep (and I’ve learnt to write them down immediately), or sometimes while I am talking to someone, or reading something, or watching a movie. Or, sometimes even when I am just walking to work.

By the time it comes to writing a new story, I pick out threads from this collection of story ideas.

Do you have a favourite character from of Riddle of Fate, and if so, who?

That is hard as they are all my little friends. Khaya, I suppose, if I had to pick, although, if you asked me again tomorrow, I would probably give you a different answer. She has a lot to learn at the beginning of the story and she is quite naïve, but she learns to stand up for herself, to not believe everything people tell her and to fight when she has to.

If you could go back and do it again is there anything you'd change?

Oh, probably a few things. I think as an author you could go back and change things for the rest of all time. If I re-read it now, I would want to tweak things here and there. It is hard to know when you’ve reached the point where you have to let it lie and decide that it is ready.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I have a complete novel, Tainted Ink, which I haven’t published yet. That’s about two best friends who go to university to learn how to control their ability to drink special Ink and then use it to Draw animated objects and animals. The shiny veneer of university life scuffs quickly, though, when they learn some disturbing things. Not least of all, that Ink is addictive.

I have started another novel after this and I am about 20% into writing it, also a YA fantasy.

Who are the authors that inspire you?

There are a few, but the one that is always at the forefront of my mind is Brandon Sanderson. His fantasy worlds are just so amazing. The cultures, the politics, and, best of all, the magic systems are incredible. He is a true master of the craft and I have never been disappointed by any of his books.

Beyond that, he puts in a great deal of effort and time into educating and helping aspiring writers. He is a lecturer and he is part of a podcast called ‘Writing Excuses’, which has taught me a lot.

What's one thing you hope readers will take away from your book?

Mostly, just the pleasure of reading and discovering a new world and new characters. But, if you are after some moral message, I suppose it would be that when you know something is right, even if it goes against convention, you should do it.

Author Bio - Tania Johansson

I grew up in a small town called Ficksburg in South Africa and moved with my family to England aged fifteen.

I then completed my schooling through a correspondence course from South Africa. This challenging time taught me a lot of self-discipline and determination. Qualities that have been invaluable while writing my first novel.

In 2004 I started studying optometry at Aston University in Birmingham, UK and currently I live and work as an optician in Kent.

In 2008, I married my wonderful husband, Tor. He has been such an amazing support and wealth of internet wizardry from when I started writing through to designing a cover for Book of Remembrance, to publishing my book on amazon as well as setting up this website. I cannot thank him enough.

Reading has always been one of my passions. I have fond memories of trawling through the library aged five (yes I was a geek from a young age!). More recently, I found myself wondering about the process writers must go through to complete a novel. I started thinking about how they would go about planning out a story and keeping track of all the various aspects of it. Finally, I decided to try my theories out. I have not looked back since!

I started writing Book of Remembrance end of May 2011 and finished it in December 2011. Since then, I have self-published it as an e-book on amazon. I have also started writing the follow up novel, which is untitled at the moment.

I would like to alert my readers that my opinions are my own and I am not being paid for my reviews. All books not bought are given to me freely and are accepted for an honest review. Receiving ARC's and/or free review copies in no way influences the opinions expressed in my reviews.